fight for flight complex

in news today from the “as if i don’t have anything better to do” department, i’m late writing this post because i spent hours getting all messed up by the airline before i’d even had my coffee.

i have an excellent relationship with frontier, so i use that airline whenever possible. but sometimes, my trips take me in a direction they don’t fly and then i’m stuck, usually with one that is mediocre in comparison. this particular one has gotten way too big and the team seems to have lost its bearings.

anyway, the website wouldn’t allow me check in online today, so i called and the first guy i talked to scared the willies out of me by saying they needed to change my itinerary for next week in order to make this week’s check-in work. i said i’d call back and started scrambling to make the new time work with my very tight schedule next thursday and when i’d pretty much squared that away i called back and the next guy told me i shouldn’t have to change anything at all, but he couldn’t figure out why i couldn’t check in online, either. onto yet another person who managed to figure out how i could check in, but not with a bag. hmm, that wasn’t going to work for me, but i’m flexible and we worked out that i will check the bag when i get to the airport, but for the same price as i would have online.

i should be all set now but who knows—i could also be in for a big, rude surprise next thursday. oh, the thrill of anticipation; arent you just on the edge of your seat?
NOT.

can i interest you in a distraction? some strawberries, perhaps?
yikes, i know i need some . . . and it gives me a chance to show off the continued abundance of our little fruit patch, heh.

so i’m going to have to make this kinda short because i lost a few hours to that mess today and packing must ensue fairly soon. as you can see, my knitting is pretty much organized into traveling bags from three bags full. the rest of my stuff is all over the place; i think project bags for the rest of my life would be really, really helpful (and omg, michele has SO many cute ones right now—quick, slap my hands before i order more).

i’m taking several projects that i prepared ahead just for traveling this month.

one is the mermaid queen scarf that is in exactly the same spot now as when i showed it to you last week. three rows in or so . . . i love that it fits into a little mia bag, which in turn, fits into my purse. perfect traveler . . .

this should be a very entertaining companion. i know i’ll be joining in on a couple of knitting groups and some other socializing, so something i can tuck into my purse to go will be awesome.

i’m also taking the new baby blankie

it’s just a few rows further along than its last showing, so i figure it’s still small enough to fit into a project bag. it’s also great travel knitting—with every other round all in knit and such a cheerful colorway (fearless fibers MCN luxury, colorway chastity), it’s sure to be a conversation starter as well (which is helpful, because i’m shy).

i love the corner panels, which have an eyelet trellis that runs all the way to the hem edge. between those are triangular expanses of eyelet fabric with rosebuds tossed across them in graduating sizes. the outside border will be another trellis-y type pattern in stripes and the hem will have a knit-on edge all around (and guess what? it’ll probably have rosebuds or rose leaves; at least, that’s what i’m feeling right now). i know it’s sorta over-the-top girly, but why not?

one of the reasons those two projects have sat still for a while is that i’ve been motoring away on a big secret project which i am leaving at home. it’s not done or anything, but i have a considerable amount completed and am at a good place to put it down for the next ten days.

yeah, i won’t be home for a while . . .

then i have my shawlette, which is knitting up in a flash; i might even finish it on this trip. i was supposed to be saving it for traveling, too, but i’ve been working on it while watching TV late at night because, well . . . i can’t stop.

the good news is that i’ve gotten all the way through the hem section and from here, it’s just garter stitch and a little edging to the top. i just love it!

i know you couldn’t see it very well in previous posts but now that it’s big enough to fan out, isn’t it rich?? do you see what i see in that hem?
to me it looks like bees. not just bees, but royal bees and hordes of them to boot, hiving (or droning or whatever that activity is called when they all work frantically around the honeycomb inside the hive).

i can almost hear them buzzing . . .
i thought i was done with bees after honeybaby, but it turns out, no. i still like them and i still enjoy creating pieces that are somehow linked to their existence, especially when the right yarn comes along. this is sunsilk from sunshine yarns and it is absolutely lovely to knit with. i love the color too—it’s called mustard seed and i got it last year; i don’t know if it is one of dani’s current colors, but maybe . . .

anyway, so far, a very fun project. i might even knit another, bigger one with another yarn of which i have more in stock (haven’t decided which, yet)

i also have two small secret projects packed that i need to make some progress on.
that’s enough knitting i think for the next ten days—now to figure out how to squeeze david in my suitcase . . . i’m gonna miss him.

we did make plans to drive to TNNA together for friday socializing; he’ll leave me there to spend the weekend. it’s not exactly romantic time together but i’m glad he’ll be joining me for a day in columbus. i’ll treat him to jeni’s ice cream to make up for my absence this next week . . ..

we got our garden all tucked in over the last few days, too—it was so hot and dry last week that i was getting worried about keeping it watered. now that the mulch is all down, it’s raining every day (but that’s not necessarily a bad thing)

plus, it gave us a chance to monitor the ripening of the berries firsthand . . .

but oww, my crouching muscles sure are sore.
(isn’t it amazing how different the color looks in the blue bowl vs the green bowl? you know that’s just our eyes playing tricks on us . . .)

before i go i have some yarns i want to show you . . . these arrived last week and between the garden and the traveling, i’ve been remiss about sharing.

first, another gorgeous offering from zen yarn garden’s exclusive line of serenity fiber blends—this one is serenity silk, a merino/silk/cashmere lace yarn with nice, lofty substance. shown here are the iced (left) and creamsicle (right) colorways, mmm.

who knows, that creamsicle color might just become my second shawlette.

i also got a nice package of yarn from erica at kollage yarns. they have a variety of new fiber blends that they want everyone to know about.

sock-a-licious is a merino/silk/nylon blend that has a soft but sturdy hand and comes in some beautiful, muted colorways. shown here are (left to right) blue heaven, blue mist, and indian rose (i love that one . . )

luscious is a wool-free blend of cotton, nylon, and elastic that feels soft and springy to the touch without a hint of the synthetic fiber it contains. i haven’t knit very much with cotton, but this might make a nice summer top.

now this one is also intriguing—1/2 n 1/2 is just that; 50 percent wool and 50 percent milk fiber. yum. it’s luxuriously soft, but not in a way that makes it suspicious, you know? again, this would make a really comfortable top for transitional weather.

erica also included some of those cool square DPNs in the package, which got me all excited—i’ve been meaning to try them, but hadn’t yet. yay.

you know what i think? i think she should get some fresh strawberries

and that’s that. see you all on the other side—i’m headed to visit our friends over the border.